A New Life, A Second Chance
by MoonlightSpirit
Summary: Takes place after Elena becomes a vampire in the season 3 finale. With being a vampire comes the return of memories Elena has been compelled to forget, more specifically, memories of Damon. Can this second chance at life be a second chance for them?


**So I was listening to the Florence + the Machine song **_**Breath of Life **_**and thought that it was the perfect song for Elena becoming a vampire. So here's **_**A New Life, A Second Chance**_**. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or the song **_**Breath of Life**_

It was like a dream. A dream she couldn't wake up from. She was suffocating and couldn't breath, but stood, still as a statue as she watched the scene play on.

_I was looking for a breath of life_

_A little touch of heavenly light_

_But all the choirs in my head say, no oh oh oh_

The dream was of Damon and for a second, Elena wondered why she was dreaming of Damon instead of Stefan as she died.

_I love you Elena…I can't be selfish with you…can't know this. I don't deserve you…brother does…I wish you didn't have to forget this…you do._

That had been the night her necklace had mysteriously been placed around her neck, with Elena holding no memory of how it got there. The picture was blurry, like a picture that hadn't quite developed all the way yet. And the words were going in and out like a radio with a bad signal. But there was no mistaking Damon's voice or the crystal blue eyes she could clearly see in the foggy haze of the dream.

Abruptly, the scene changed and Elena could faintly smell bonfire.

_To get a dream of life again_

_A little vision of the sight at the end_

_But all the choirs in my head say, no oh oh oh_

And once again, there was his voice. But now her own voice interjected from time to time. But…she still had that feeling of not breathing. It was like she was in her body, but not in control of herself…

_Katherine?...I'm Elena…you just look…I'm Damon…it's kinda creepy that you're out here…out here…by yourself…Mystic Falls, nothing bad ever happens…fight…boyfriend…about what…life, future…don't want it…I don't know…you want what everybody wants…mysterious stranger…all the answers?...been around a long time…Damon, tell me…_

Finally, the picture started to slide into focus and Elena could see she and Damon were standing on the edge of a road. The road near the bonfire her parents picked her up from the night they died. And Elena could clearly see Damon walking toward her as he spoke, clear as day…

_You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure and even a little danger. _

But the dream started to fade again so that all Elena could make out of Damon were those crystal blue eyes and the voices going in and out…

_What do you want?...my parents…I want you to get everything you're looking for…forget that this happened…can't have people knowing I'm in town…goodnight Elena._

Now everything went black. Elena thought she was going to pass out. But she couldn't. The pain just weighed on her chest as she struggled to breath, to move, to wake up.

_But I would need one more touch_

_Another taste of heavenly rush_

_And I believe, I believe it so oh oh oh_

She could faintly feel the presence of someone near her. She wasn't sure how se knew. Just…the feeling in the air. Someone was there. Why weren't they helping her?

_And I would need one more touch_

_Another taste of divine rush_

_And I believe, I believe it so oh oh oh_

And she felt it all in a rush. The breath racing back into her lungs, her body coming alive.

But…she should have been died. She drowned in the car. She remembers the blackness, the silence, the stillness. The only way she could be alive would be if she became.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped for air as she realized what had just happened.

Those weren't dreams she just had, they were memories. Memories she had been compelled to forget.

_Whose side am I on? Whose side am I?_

_Whose side am I on? Whose side am I?_

Feeling rushed back into her body as Elena shot up. She was in a dark room with a computer and complicated looking equipment. Next to her sat Stefan, his face somber.

A million question and emotions ran through Elena's mind. She was scared and confused. What happened? Why was she alive? Was she a vampire? Her stomach twisted anxiously as the other questions rose.

Where was Damon? Could she talk to him? She had to see him. How were he and Stefan still alive if Klaus was killed? Or was Damon already dead and Stefan not far behind?

This room. It was too quiet, to stifling. Stefan was sitting still as a statue and Elena almost wanted to hit him, just to get him to do _something_.

_And the feeling, it rushes through me_

_From my heart down to my legs_

_But the room is so quiet, oh oh oh_

She had to say something. Anything.

"Where's Damon?" the question left her mouth in a rush, followed by, "How are you alive? Is he alive? Stefan, what's happening? How am I alive?" But Stefan just stared at her silently and Elena wanted to scream in frustration.

_And although I was losing my mind_

_It was a call that was so sublime_

_But the room is too quiet, oh oh oh_

"It's my fault," the female voice was soft in the doorway. Elena looked over to see Meredith standing there with Damon behind her.

"When Jeremy bought you in earlier…you had a cerebral hemorrhage…" Meredith looked like she was about to cry, "Jeremy was so worried…so I helped you." Elena's mind – which had been running double time since she woke up – finally froze.

"You…gave me vampire blood," Elena whispered. Meredith nodded her head, bowing it slightly and Elena heard her sniffle.

"We should get her home," Damon said. Almost mechanically, Stefan helped her up and out the door. He and Damon flanked either side of Elena as they rushed her out of the hospital and into Damon's car.

The drive to her house was too long. It gave Elena to much time to think.

She was a vampire. Those dreams weren't dreams…they were events Damon had compelled her to forget. And as the drive dragged on, the memories became clearer. Not only that he had told her he loved her and compelled her to forget, but also that she had met him first. The night her parents died.

_Maybe if you and I had met first…_

She had said this to Damon before she died. He knew they had met first. But he didn't tell her. He let her make her choice and didn't put up a fight. Elena was itching to get home, to talk to Damon about all of this.

_I was looking for a breath of life_

_A little touch of heavenly light_

_But all the choirs in my head say, no oh oh oh_

_To get a dream of life again_

_A little vision of the sight at the end_

_But all the choirs in my head say, no oh oh oh_

Stefan and Elena got out of the car when they had finally reached her home.

"I'll head back to the house to get her some…" Damon's sentence trailed off, but they all knew what he meant.

"Stefan, would you mind going instead?" Elena asked quickly, "I need to…talk to Damon." There was a slight hesitation before Stefan said "Sure," and took Damon's place at the wheel.

Elena and Damon walked up the steps to her house. Elena stopped in front of the door and waited until the car engine was out of earshot before speaking.

"I remember," she said, softly, staring at the door, "Everything. What you compelled me to forget."

"You would," Damon said, his voice barley a whisper.

"You know this changes…so much," Elena said, shaking her head. After remembering these selfless acts from Damon…how could she stand by her choice of Stefan without even considering them both now?

It was like coming back as a vampire…she as being given a second chance…and so was Damon.

_It's a long way and it's come from paper_

_And I always say, we should be together_

_I can see the look, because this song has ended_

_And if you are gone, I will not be long (be long, be long, be long)_

"Let's go inside," Damon said. He opened the door and held it open for Elena…but when she walked forward, she couldn't get her foot past the doorframe.

"Why…?" she questioned before remembering. She was a vampire now. Someone would have to invite her in.

"Jeremy!" Damon shouted into the house. Jeremy came rushing from the living room.

"Elena!" Jeremy shouted before running to his sister and nearly knocking her down in a hug.

"How?" Jeremy asked and Elena could hear the tears in his voice as she hugged him back.

"Jeremy…" she said, unsure what to say, "You have to let me in the house." Jeremy backed away just enough to look at her.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Invite me in," Elena said slowly, "I can't come in unless you invite me." Realization slowly dawned on Jeremy's face and he turned to Damon.

"Is she…?" Jeremy started to ask.

"Just let me in and I'll explain everything later," Elena said, "Please Jer." Jeremy nodded.

"Elena, come in," he said. Elena stepped forward and this time easily walked over the threshold of the house.

"I need to talk to Damon," she said to Jeremy, "Alone. Just give me a few minutes and I promise I'll explain everything." Jeremy nodded and hugged her one more time before walking up to his room. Elena walked into the living room and Damon followed. She sunk into the sofa, burying her face in her hands.

The memories were clear as day now. She could remember everything. Her necklace in Damon's hand…the tear that rolled down Damon's cheek as he compelled her to forget that he told her he loved her...the fluttering in her stomach when she first met Damon, the handsome, mysterious stranger that seemed to have all the answers.

In the quiet of the room, Elena's mind seemed unbearably loud.

"Damon," Elena said, standing up again, not able to stay quite still, "Why…why did you make me forget. I had said earlier things might be different if we met first and we did and you just let me go on…" tears were beginning to well in Elena's eyes and Damon took her hands firmly in his.

"Because so much has already been taken from you," Damon said softly, "And I know I annoy the hell out of you, trying to protect you. The least I could do is give you the choice of who to love without trying to influence it in my favor." Elena bit her bottom lip, her hands gripping Damon's almost painfully tight.

"I…I'm so confused," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks, "And my mind, it just won't _stop _going Damon, I can't stop thinking of this."

_And I started to hear it again, but this time it wasn't you_

_And the room is so quiet, oh oh oh_

_And my heart is the heart of a life_

_For the devil to dance again_

_And the room is too quiet, oh oh oh_

Damon took Elena into his arms, holding her tight and close. And suddenly, Elena's mind finally seemed to slow down to a halt. She clutched onto his leather jacket, breathing in his smell. She could faintly smell blood on him and her throat began to ache. But the pain in her heart and confusion in her mind overwhelmed the thirst for the time being.

"It's like a second chance though," she whispered into Damon's soft, cotton shirt, "A second chance for me to make a choice…a second chance for me to choose you." She spoke the last part so softly, Damon almost didn't catch it. But he did and for a moment, his dead heart seemed to skip a beat.

_I was looking for a breath of life_

_A little touch of heavenly light_

_But all the choirs in my head say_

_No oh oh oh_

"You're safe now," Damon whispered into her hair, "You have an eternity to make that choice. And if needed, I will wait that eternity for you, Elena."

**So there's **_**A New Life, A Second Chance**_**. I hope you all liked it! Please Review!**


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